Seed containing pellet forming equipment

ABSTRACT

A seed containing pellet forming equipment for automatically removing a single seed at a time from a mass of seeds and depositing such seed into a mold cavity which previously had been loaded with a charge of pellet forming material and after the seed is deposited onto such charge, loading a second charge of such material into the cavity and then compressing the contents of the cavity to form such pellet.

[ 5] Dec. 31, 1974 United States Patent Knapp 1 SEED CONTAINING PELLETFORMING EQUIPMENT 7/1960 Doepel et a1. 9/1961 7/1963 Frank......

[] Inventor: Philip B. Knapp, Lynbrook, NY. [73] Assignee: MinnesotaMining 81. Manufacturing Rudski 10/1966 Cohn 3,318,265 5/1967 c0., St.Paul, Minn.

Winters.......

425/128 X 425/352 X Clifford...................

e n S n "S m na d or .JBA 1.1! 677 999 H 2 2 609 335 756 333 3 7 9 l 4 49 J J v 6 m N 4 o N u m. p F A 2 l 2 2 r1 1 Related US. Application DataDivision of Ser. No. 164,748, Jul 3,775,034, which is a division Sept.4, 1969, Pat. No. 3

' 197] gg' Primary Examiner -J. Howard Flint, Jr.

f Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alexander, Sell, Steldt &

DeLal-lunt y 21 of Ser. No. 855 ,640,428.

ABSTRACT A seed containing pellet forming e 425/344 A0lc 1/06, B30b11/12 Field of Search [51] Int. I quipment for auto- 425/128, maticallyremoving a single seed at a time from a mass 125/261, of seeds anddepositing such seed into a mold cavity rge of which previously had beenloaded with a cha [56] References C'ted pellet forming material andafter the seed is deposited UNITED STATES PATENTS onto such charge,loading a second charge of such ma- 1,345,208 6/1920Majewski............................ 425/345 terial into the Cavity andthen Compressing the 2,234,604 tents of the cavity to form such pellet.

14 Claims, 36 Drawing Figures 2,700,938 2/1955 Wolffet a1.........2,735,380 2/1956 PATENTEB BEDS 1 I974 SHEEI OlBF 15 PATENTEDBEB31 3.857.659

SHEET 02 0F 15 MPH All??? I:

48 i T 52] 55 M 3 11 3 PATENTEI] 05031 I914 SHEET UBUF 15 PATENIEI] EH231 I974 SHEET OHUF15 PATENTED 1 3.857, 658

' SHEEI OSOF 15 PATENTED UECE 1 I974 SHEET UEGF 15 PATENTEUUEBBHW3.857.659

SHEET CSDF 15 PATENTED 1 1974 3, 857. 659

sum 110F15 PATENTED 1 I974 3, 857. 659

SHEET 120F15 PATENTEDUEE31 1814 3.857. 659 SHEET 1 3 OF 15 Thisapplication is a division of co-pending application Ser. No. 164,748,filed July 21, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,034, which is, in turn, adivision of Ser. No. 855,289, filed Sept. 4, 1969, which is now U.S.Pat. No. 3,640,428, patented Feb. 8, 1972.

As conductive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that dueto the delicate nature of seeds which are planted for the growth ofvegetable and flower crops and due to their small size and irregularshape, it is difficult individually to take a single seed and insert thesame into a depression or cavity in the ground located at desiredintervals. Moreover, where a large area is to be planted the cost ofhandling individual seeds would be prohibitive and commerciallyunfeasible.

As a result, seeds normally have been inserted into the ground eithermanually, or by automatic planters which will feed a plurality of seedsinto each hole in the ground which is then covered. This method ofplanting results in the presence of several seeds in each hole withsubsequent need to thin out the resultant growth promptly afteremergence from the ground in order to provide desired growth conditions.This is necessary in order that each planted region only contain adesired number of seeds to insure that there will be proper nutritiongiven to each of the subsequent growths by reason of the nutrientscontained in the ground and the water availability and in addition ifseveral seeds have been planted in the same hole, unless the growth fromall but one of the seed is removed, there normally will be a tendencyfor the multiplicity of growths to interfere with their properdevelopment.

Where, to facilitate handling of the seeds, in order to permit theplanting of a single seed at a time in each hole, a seed cell or pelletis-provided, such as shown and described in copending application Ser.No. 781,014, and now abandoned and refiled as continuation-in-partapplication Ser. No. 121,882, filed Mar. 8, 1971, which is now U.S. Pat.No. 3,690,034, and which comprises a casing of suitable materialencompassing the seed cell to protect the latter and permit handlingthereof either manually or by automatic planting equipment so that asingle seed can be planted in an individual hole, due to the delicatenature of the seed, manual handling thereof to form the pellet, unlessclone extremely carefully, would cause injury to the seed with resultantfailure of the latter to grow.

In view of the fact that even to plant a relative small area, thousandsof seed cells or pellets would have to be planted, more particularly ina typical example of lettuce seeds, aminimum of 26,000 seeds would haveto be planted to an acre, it is apparent that manually to form seedcells or pellets each containing an individual seed would be soprohibitive in cost as to have no commercial value.

It isaccordingly among the objects of the invention to provide .anequipment for automatically forming seed cells or pellets eachcontaining a single seed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an equipment whichautomatically removes one seed at a time from a mass of seeds withoutlikelihood of injury to such seed and which will thereupon form seedcells or pellets, each containing a single seed, which equipment willoperate at a relatively high rate of speed and is not likely to bederanged even after long use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an equipment of the abovetype in which a pellet will be formed without likelihood of excessivepressure being applied to-the seed contained therein.

Still another object of the invention is to provide equipment of theabove type in which accurate selection will be made between thosepellets in which seeds have properly been located and those pellets inwhich no seeds have been placed.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON According to the invention, a mass of seeds aretransported by a conveyor belt while simultaneously with the movement ofsuch belt a plurality of seed pickup devices in the form of nozzles areadvanced in substantially the same path of movement as the conveyor sothat the nozzles will move into the mass of seeds carried by'theconveyor, the nozzles being conformed so that. when suction is appliedto the nozzles, each nozzle will remove a single seed from the conveyor.Thereupon, the nozzles are successively advanced to a seed dischargestation where air pressure is applied to the nozzle to eject the seedcarried thereby to a pellet forming device. The pellet forming devicecomprises a plurality of mold cavities moving past the dischargestation, each of said cavities being adapted to receive a single seed asitis ejected from the associated nozzle. The cavities have opposedplungers associated therewith, one of which forms the floor of thecavity. As the cavities advance, means are provided successively to loadthe latter with a charge of material from which the bottom layer of thepellet is formed and after the seed has been deposited on such bottomlayer, load the cavity with a charge of material from which the toplayer of the pellet is formed. With further advance of each of thecavities, the plungers are brought together to compress the materialcharged into each cavity to form a pellet, the compression beinggreatest at the periphery of the pellet so that the seed located in thecenter thereof will not be subjected to excessive pressures.

According to one feature of the invention, each of the layers ofmaterial charged into the cavity to form the bottom and top layers ofthe pellet is itself formed from two separate and distinct materialswhich are suc cessively charged into the cavity so that the pellet isactually formed from four layers. Thus, the two innermost layers inwhich the seed will be embedded are formed from material which providesa cushioning effect thereby further to protect the delicate seed and thetwo outer layers are formed from materials which promite the initialgrowth of the seed.

With continued movement of the cavities and the pellets formed therein,the'pellets will be advanced to a discharge station where they aresuccessively ejected from the cavities into suitable containers. Sincethere is a possibility that the pickup nozzles may not have properlyremoved a seed from the mass, so that no seed would be discharged intoan associated cavity, means are provided to detect those pellets whichare ejectedfrom the pellet discharge station in which no seed has beenpositioned. To this end, the equipment has detection means associatedwith the seed discharge station which will sense whether or not a seedis being expelled into an associated cavity and through appropriatememory circuits, if no seed has been expelled, when the associatedpellet reaches the pellet discharge station it will be diverted into areject container.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the equipment;

FIG. 2 is a topplan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof taken along line 3-3 of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal view partly in cross section taken alongline4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view with parts broken away, taken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a detail sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5; v

FIG. 8 is a sectional view with parts broken away taken along line 8-8of FIG. 7; a

FIG. 9' is a sectional view taken along line ,9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 1 1 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG.2;

FIG. 11a is a perspective view of the pickup tube;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 ofFIG.1l;

FIG; 13 is a sectional view of an enlarge scale of the control valveshowing the latter in the pressure position;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 showing the valve in the suctionposition;

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal view partly in cross section taken along line15-15 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the pellet formingmechanism;

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 17-17 of FIG.15; v

FIG. 18 is a detailed sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary detail sectional view on a greatlyenlarged'scale of the pickup nozzle taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 20 is a fragmentaryjperspective view on an enlarged scale of thefeed hopper for the pellet;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 20;

'FIG. 22 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of thepellet discharge station;

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of the pelletdistributing unit taken along line 23-23 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 24 is a detail sectional view taken along line 24-24 of FIG. 22;

FIG. 25 is a sectional view taken along line 25-25 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 26 is afragmentary perspective view of the pellet dischargestation;

FIG, 27 and FIG. 270 are diagrammatic views of the control circuit forthe pellet discharge station;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the pellet or seed cell made accordingto one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 29 is a transversel sectional view taken along line 29-29 of FIG.28, and 7 FIGS. 30a to 30c are diagrammatic view illustrating the stepsin forming the pellet.

Referring now to the drawings, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the equipmentcomprises a frame 31 including plane as a strut 41 secured at one end toone of the legs 42 of support 34 and supported at its other end byvertical strut 43 rising from base 32. A strut 44 extending transverselybetween the legs 38 and 45 of supports 33, 34 serves to maintainthe'latter in spaced parallel relationship.

I The frame above described mounts the various elements of the equipmentwhich will now be described in detail.

SEED PICKUP ASSEMBLY In order to mount the pickup assembly 40, a pair ofbrackets 46, 47 (FIG. 1) are provided, rising from the top surfaces 35,36 of each of the sidesupports 33, 34. v

Mounted on said brackets are clamp blocks 48, 49

which rigidly support a hollow shaft 50 extending transversely acrossthe frame 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 11, the ends of shaft 50 extend beyond anassociated clamp block 48, 49 and a vacuum or suction line 51 isconnected to one end of shaft 50 and a pressure line 52 is connected tothe other end of the shaft.

As shown in FIG. 11, a plug 53 is positioned in the center of shaft 50to divide the latter into a vacuum chamber 54 and a pressure chamber 55.In order to insure that a seal is maintained between the chambers 54,55, the plug 53 has a circumferential groove 56 in its periphery whichis aligned with an opening 57 in shaft 50 and with an opening 58 in asleeve 59 encompassing the mid-portion of shaft 50.

The sleeve 59 is secured to the hollow shaft 50 and to plug 53 by a setscrew 61 which locks the parts in fixed position. Before inserting theset screw 61, a sealant is forced through aligned openings 57, 58 intogroove 56 to fill the latter, effectively to form a seal between thechambers 54, 55.

Encompassing the sleeve 59 and positioned between spaced annular ribs64, preferably formedintegral with the sleeve 59, is a clamp block 62formed from two substantially identical sections 62a'and 62b. Each ofthe sections 62a, 62b has an arcuate recess which, when sleeve 59therebetween so that the block 62 will be retained in The section 62b ofblock 62 has an outstanding arm 65, bifurcated at its outer end androtatably mounting a cam roller 66, the function of which willhereinafter be described.

Referring to FIG. 11, it is to be noted that the end portions 67 of thesleeve 59 define annular supports for the inner race of bearings 68.Encompassing the outer race of each of said bearings 68 is an associatedring member 69 which is secured by a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced screws 71 to the hub 72 of an associated disc 73. As is clearlyshown in FIGS. 4 and 11, each of thediscs 73 has a' peripheral rim 74connected by a plurality of radial arms 75 to the hub 72.

fixed position with respect to the hollow shaft Also secured to each ofthe discs 73 on the outer surface thereof and encompassing the hollowshaft 50 are annular members 76, each of the inner peripheries of whichhas an annular groove 77 in which an annular sealing member 78 ispositioned. Each of the sealing members which engages the fixed shaft50, may be lubricated through an associated passageway 78 extendingsubstantially radially through the annular member 76. As is shown inFIG. 11, the annular members 76 are secured to the associated disc 73 byscrews 79.

The annular member 76 serves as the support and closure member for oneend of an associated manifold sleeve 81, 81', the other end of. eachsleeve beingsupported by'an annular member 82 identical to the annularmember 76.

Referring to FIG. 11, it is to be noted that an additional annularmember 82 is secured to the end of each of the manifold sleeves 81 byscrews 83. Secured to each of said additional annular members 82 is anannular retaining member 84 which encompasses the outer race of abearing 85. The inner race of each of the bearings 85 is supported bythe inwardly extending flange 86 of a retainer member 87, 88, the latterbeing retained in fixed position on the shaft 50 by retainer rings 89secured to the shaft by screws '91.

The annular member 84 associated with retainer member 88 is secured tothe associated annular 'member 82 by bolts 92. The annular member 84associated with flange 87 has associated therewith a toothed pulley 93which is secured in position by bolts 94 which also serve to retain theannular member 84 against member.82.

With the arrangement above described, it is apparent that upon rotationof the pulley 93 in the member hereinafter to be described, the manifoldsleeves 81, 81 as well as the spaced parallel discs 73 will rotate inunison around the fixed shaft 50, such rotation being facilitated by thebearings 68, 85 with the gaskets 78 providing a seal at the ends of eachof the manifold sleeves 81, 81'.

As is shown in FIG. 11, the hollow shaft 50 has a plurality of openings95 which provide communication between the chambers 54, 55 and theannular chambers 96, 97 defined by the manifold sleeves 81, 81.

As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 11, for example, a plurality ofvalves 101 are secured in circumferentially spaced relationship to theouter peripheries ofthe spaced parallel discs 73. More particularly,referring to FIGS. 11 and 13, each of the valves 101 comprises asubstantially rectangular block, positioned between the peripheries 74of discs 73 and secured in position by screws 102. Each of the valveshas tapered side walls and extends transversely between the discs, beingcircumferentially arranged therearound.

Referring to FIG. 13, each of the valves has a bore 103 extendingtherethrough, the bores of the plurality of valves extendingsubstantially radially of the hollow shaft 50. Each of the bores is ofenlarged diameter at the inner end 104 thereof to define a shoulder 105to receive the flanged end 106 of a bushing 107. The outer end of eachof the bores 103 is of reduced diameter as at 108 to define an annularshoulder 109 and the extremity of said reduced diameter portion 108 isinternally threaded as at lll to receive the correspondingly threadedend 112 of a nipple 113.

Slidably mounted in the bore 103, is a valve member 114, which is ofreduced diameter at its outer end 115,

to define an annular shoulder 116. An 0 ring' 117 encompasses saidreduced diameter portion 115, being positioned in an annular groove 118adjacent shoulder 116. The diameter of said portion is just slightlyless than the diameter of portion 108 of bore 103 so that said portion115 may enter into the reduced diameter portion 108 as shown in FIG. 13at which time the O ring 117 will provide a seal.

The inner end of valve member 114 is also of reduced diameter to form anelongated stem 121 that extends slidably through the bushing 107 andprotrudes beyond the inner end 110 of the valve 101. As is clearly shownin FIGS. 13 and 14, the root end of the stem 121 has an annular groove122 encompassed by an O ring 123, the latter being adapted to abutagainst the inner end 124 of bushing 107 to define a seal. Secured tothe free end 125 of stem 12l by a transverse pin 126, is a cap 127, thelatter having an enlarged head 128'. A coil spring 129 encompassing theouter end of the stem, reacts against the head 128 and the end 110 ofthe valve 101, normally to urge the valve member 114 inwardly toward thehollow shaft 50.

As is shown in FIG. 13, the enlarged diameter portion of the valvemember 114 has an annular groove 131 in which an O ring 132 ispositioned and the stem 121 also has an annular groove 133 in which an Oring 134 is positioned. A transverse passageway 135 is provided in thestern 114 and is in communication with an axial passageway 136 extendingthrough the valve member.

In the normal position of the valve member 114, shown in FIG. 14, whenhis in extended positionunder the urging of coil spring 129, theenlarged diameter portion of the valve member 103 is aligned withpressure. port 137 so that the latter is sealed, and the vacuum port 138is aligned with the reduced diameter portion 115 of the valve member. Asa result, the vacuum port 138 will be in communication with reduceddiameter bore portion 108 which defines the outlet port of the valve andwith the bore 139 of the fitting 113.

In the position shown in FIG. 13, inwhich the valve member has beenmovedinwardly, in the manner hereinafter to be described, the enlargeddiameter portion of the valve member 114 will be aligned with vacuumport 138 to close the latter, the gasket 117 abutting against shoulder109 to form a seal. In this position the transverse bore 135 is alignedwith the pressure port 137 so that air under pressure will flow throughtransverse passageway 135 and longitudinal passageway 136 into the bore139 of fitting 113. The gaskets 134 and 132 will provide a seal as shownin FIG. 13 to prevent communication between the pressure port 137 andthe vacuum port 138.

As shown in FIG. 14, the O ring 123 will seat against the end 124 ofbushing 107 so that the 0 rings 123 and 132 will cut off communicationbetween the air port 137 and the vacuum port 138.

As is clearly shown in the drawings and particularly FIGS. 11 and 14,the vacuum ports 138 of each of the valves are connected by a line 140to an associated opening 141 in the manifold sleeve 81. Similarly, thepressure ports 137 are connected through an associated line 142 to anassociated opening 143 in the manifold sleeve 81'.

Thus, either vacuum or pressure will be applied to the bore 139 offitting 113 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

Secured in each of the fittings 113 is one end of a pickup tube 151which, as is'clearly shown in FIGS. 4, and 11, has a root end 152 whichis mounted in the fitting 113 (FIG. 14), an intermediate portion 153which is displaced substantially transversely from said root end 152 andan end portion 154 which extends in a plane substantially parallel tothe plane of said root end 152, said end portion 154 having a pickupportion 155 extending at substantially right angles thereto and having anozzle 156 (FIG. 19) at its free end.

More particularly, as shown in FIG. 4, the pickup portions 155 arecircumferentially aligned with each nozzle 156, being circumferentiallyspaced from the end 157 of the next preceding adjacent portion 155.

Referring particularly to FIG. 19, in the illustrative embodiment of theinvention herein shown, the nozzle 156 comprises a plug 158 retained asby force fit in the end 159 of pickup portion 155. The plug 158 has anaxial bore 161 therethrough which is of enlarged diameter at its outerend 162 leading into a frusto-conical cavity 163 .in the outer end ofthe plug.

Secured to the surface of cavity 163 is a resilient diaphragm 164 whichmay be of rubber, the diaphragm having a central aperture 165 alignedwith axial bore 161. As shown in FIG. 19, the periphery of aperture 165in the diaphragm extends inwardly beyond'the periphery of the outer edgeof enlarged bore portion 162, the diameter of said aperture 165 beingslightly less than that of the seed S to be picked up by the nozzle 156.

The function of the nozzle is to pick up oneseed at a time when suctionis applied to the bore 161. This operation will be described in greaterdetail hereinafter.

The valvesl are successively'actuated as the manifold sleeves 81, 81 anddiscs 73 are rotated in the manner hereinafter to'be described, by theabutment of the head 128 of cap 127 secured to the end of each of thevalve members ll4against the cam roller 66 mounted at the end of thefixed arm 65. More particularly, as the pickup assembly 40 is rotated,and the caps 127 successively abut against the roller 66, the associatedvalve member 114 will be moved inwardly from the position shown in FIG.14 in which vacuum is applied to the port 138 and thence through thebore 139 of fitting 113 to the associated feed pickup tube 151, to theposition shown in FIG. 13 in which the vacuum port 138 is closed and thepressure port 137 is connected through aligned passageways 135, 136 tothe bore of fitting 113.

The pickup assembly is supplied with seeds by a seed supply assembly nowto be described.

SEED SUPPLY ASSEMBLY Referring to FIGS. 1, 4 and 7 to 10 inclusive ofthe drawings, the seed supply assembly 170 is positioned between the twoside supports 33 and 34.

More particularly, the seed supply assembly comprises a chamber 170'consisting of a pair of side plates 171, 172 (FIG. 7) end walls 173, 174at the upper portion of the housing 170 and downwardly inclined betweenwalls 175, 176 positioned between the side .walls 171 and 172 which forma trough. the lower end of which is closed by a transverse block '177(FIG. 8). The housing 170 is supported at one end on .the transversestrut 44 on a block 44' and at its other end by a transverse strut 60. Y

As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of toothed pulleys 178, 179 are rotatablymounted between the side walls 171,

' 172 on shafts 181, 182, the shaft 182 being in a lower plane thanshaft 181. Encompassing the pulleys 178, 179 is a toothed conveyor belt183, which, as shown in FIG. 6, has a groove 184 that is substantiallyV-shaped in cross section extending the entire length thereof anddefining two parallel elongated reaction surfaces 184' extendingparallel to said central groove 184. The portion 180 of the upper run185 of the conveyor belt 183 between pulleys 178, 179 is conformed tomove in an arc as shown in FIG. 4. To this end, the top edge 186 of eachof the side plates 171, 172 has an arcuate portion and a plurality ofrollers 187 extend inwardly from the curved edge 186 as is shown inFIGS. 4 and 6 and said rollers 187 are also in an arcuate path and bearagainst the reaction surfaces 184' of the conveyor belt 183. As a resultof this arrangement it is apparent that upon rotation of the conveyorbelt 183 in the manner hereinafter to be described, the upper run 185 ofsaid belt will move in an arcuate path. The pickup portions 155 of thepickup tubes 151 are designed to move into the groove 184 in theconveyor belt 183 with said por- V tions 155 extending longitudinally ofsaid groove to pick up seeds carried by said conveyor belt in the mannerhereinafter to be described. Desirably, the rate of movement of saidconveyor belt 183 is slightly less than the rate of movement of thepickup assembly to facilitate pickup of the seeds.

The shaft 181, as shown in FIG. 5, mounts a gear 191 which meshses witha drive gear 192 mounted on shaft 193 which-also mounts a pulley 194,the latter being driven by a belt 195 in the manner hereinafter to bedescribed. Thus, upon rotation of pulley 194 and gears 192 and 191, theconveyor belt 183 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction,referring to FIG. 4.

Means are provided to charge the conveyor belt 183 with the seeds to beencapsulated. v

To this end, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, a feed tube 196 is mountedon the front wall 173 laterally displaced from a window 197, alsomounted on said front wall, said feed tube having a funnel 198 at itsupper end into which seeds may be poured.

The seeds will drop down the inclined wall 175 of the chamber to thelower end thereof as shown in FIG. 8, for example.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the block 177 at the lower end of the troughdefined by the inclined walls 175, 176 has a tapered top surface 199leading into a vertical slot 201 which in turn leads into a transversebore 202. Extending downwardly as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is an airnozzle 203 which is designed to blow a jet of air against the seeds asthey fall by' gravity down the side walls 175,176 of the trough so thatsuch seeds will be forced through the vertical slot 201 into thetransverse bore 202. Desirably, baffles 205 are provided to deflectany'seeds that may be forced upwardly, to the slot 201.

Secured in one end of theblock 177 is an air line 204 which has aplurality ofnozzles 205' of different length extending into said bore202. Thus, when air under pressure is forced through line 204 it willentrain the seeds forced into the bore 202 through a feed pipe 206 whichhas one end secured to the other end of said bore 202.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 7, the feed pipe ex- I tends upwardly fromthe block 177 into a chamber 207, an air nozzle 208, FIG. 8, beingassociated with the

1. Equipment for forming pellets, each containing a seed, said equipment comprising a vertical support plate having an outer cam track and an inner cam track on the inner surface thereof, a disc rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis, said disc extending parallel to and in juxtaposition to said vertical support plate, said disc on the surface thereof adjacent the inner surface of said plate having an annular peripheral flange extending toward said inner surface of said support plate, and an annualr hub on said disc surface of smaller diameter than said annular flange defining an annular space therebetween, the opposed outer periphery of said annular hub and inner periphery of said annular flange having radially aligned bores therethrough, the bores through said hub and said flange being equidistantly spaced, the bores in said hub defining mold cavities, radially aligned pair of plungers slidably mounted in each radially aligned pairs of bores, means operatively connecting the outer ends of each of said pairs of plungers to an associated one of said cam tracks for reciprocation of said plungers as said disc is rotated, each of said mold cavities having a seed feed member associated therewith, each of said seed feed members having an inlet end extending through the outer periphery of said disc and an outlet and extending into the annular space between said flange and said hub and in alignment with the associated mold cavity.
 1. Equipment for forming pellets, each containing a seed, said equipment comprising a vertical support plate having an outer cam track and an inner cam track on the inner surface thereof, a disc rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis, said disc extending parallel to and in juxtaposition to said vertical support plate, said disc on the surface thereof adjacent the inner surface of said plate having an annular peripheral flange extending toward said inner surface of said support plate, and an annualr hub on said disc surface of smaller diameter than said annular flange defining an annular space therebetween, the opposed outer periphery of said annular hub and inner periphery of said annular flange having radially aligned bores therethrough, the bores through said hub and said flange being equidistantly spaced, the bores in said hub defining mold cavities, radially aligned pair of plungers slidably mounted in each radially aligned pairs of bores, means operatively connecting the outer ends of each of said pairs of plungers to an associated one of said cam tracks for reciprocation of said plungers as said disc is rotated, each of said mold cavities having a seed feed member associated therewith, each of said seed feed members having an inlet end extending through the outer periphery of said disc and an outlet and extending into the annular space between said flange and said hub and in alignment with the associated mold cavity.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the outlet end of each of said feed members comprises a flexible tube extending into the space between said hub and said flange.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the outlet end of each of said feed member comprises a flexible tube extending into the space between said hub and said flange, said flexible tube being in the path of movement of the plunger extending through the bore in said annular flange to be deflected by said plunger upon movement of the latter into the mold cavity.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which resiliently actuated means are provided reaCting against said flexible tube to align the nozzle end of the latter with said mold cavity.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said plate has an arcuate opening aligned with the space between said annular flange and said annular hub, a deflector member is positioned in said arcuate opening and extends into said annular space, whereby upon outward movement of said plunger to discharge the pellet from said cavity, said pellet will be moved onto said deflector member and means associated with said deflector member to guide the pellet outwardly from said annular space for discharge of said pellet.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said deflector member is inclined downwardly for movement of the pellet therealong.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which a resilient leaf member extends through the arcuate opening into the space between said annular hub and said annular flange, means supporting said leaf member to retain a portion of the length thereof in juxtaposition to the periphery of the annular hub to restrain outward displacement of the pellets in the mold cavities in such annular hub, said leaf member having one end thereof extending substantially radially outward from the plane of the body of said leaf member, said portion defining said deflector member, whereby when an associated mold cavity is aligned with said deflector member outward movement of the plunger in said mold cavity will force the pellet onto said deflector member for discharge of said pellet through said arcuate opening.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which means are provided resiliently to retain the body of said leaf member in juxtaposition to the periphery of said annular boss.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which a supporting member is provided positioned in said arcuate opening, means rigidly to mount said supporting member to said plate, said leaf member being secured at one end to said supporting member.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which a distributor member is provided comprising a casing rigidly secured to said plate adjacent said arcuate opening therein, said distributor member having an upper end and a lower end and having a mouth at its upper end adjacent the outer edge of said deflector member to receive the pellet therefrom, said distributor member having a pair of passageways therethrough each having an inlet adapted to be operatively connected to the inlet to said distributor member, a gate member controlling said inlets to said passageways, said gate member normally closing one of said inlets, whereby upon movement of said pellet through the inlet of said distributor member it will be deflected by said gate member into the inlet of the other passageway, means to actuate said gate member to open said first passageway, said distributor member having means to guide said pellet through said first passageway when said gate member opens the latter, each of said passageways having an outlet through which the pellet may be discharged.
 11. Equipment for forming pellets each containing a seed, said equipment comprising a disc, means rotatably mounting said disc, said disc having a plurality of circumferentially spaced mold cavities, each of said mold cavities having a pair of opposed compression means associated therewith, means to reciprocate said compression means with rotation of said disc, a plurality of feed members carried by said disc, each of said feed members having an inlet extending outwardly from said disc and an outlet aligned with an associated mold cavity, seed feeding means, the inlets of each of said feed means being successively movable into alignment with said seed feeding means upon rotation of said disc, a pair of material storage hoppers positioned respectively on each side of said feeding means, each of said hoppers having an outlet in the path of movement of said mold cavities and adapted to discharge material into said mold cavities as they successively move past said hopper oUtlets as said disc is rotated, and means after said cavities have been charged with such material and such seed, to move the pair of compression means toward each other to compress the material in the associated mold cavity to form said pellet and means after said pellet has been formed to withdraw one of said compression means from said mold cavity and to extend the other of said compression means into said mold cavity to discharge the pellet therefrom.
 12. The combination set forth in claim 11 in which said seed feeding means comprises a discharge tube having an outlet, distributor means are provided having an inlet aligned with the cavity from which the pellet is discharged, said distributor means having two discharge outlets, means normally to connect one of said discharge outlets to said inlet and cut off communication between the other discharge outlet and said inlet, and means controlled by the movement of a seed through said discharge tube into the feed means to connect the inlet of said distributor to the other of said discharge outlets.
 14. The combination set forth in claim 13 in which a photocell and an opposed source of light therefor are positioned on opposed sides of the path of movement of the seed discharged into said discharge tube before movement of the seed into the mold cavity and circuit means are provided controlled by the interruption of light to said photocell by the moving seed to energize said actuating means. 